INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION

The Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) investigation is designed to study the surface and atmosphere of Mars using thermal infrared (IR) spectroscopy, together with broadband thermal and solar reflectance radiometry. The specific objectives of the TES experiment are: (i) to determine and map the composition of surface minerals, rocks, and ices; (ii) to study the composition, particle size, and spatial and temporal distribution of atmospheric dust; (iii) to locate water-ice and CO2 co ensate clouds and determine their temperature, height, and condensate abundance; (iv) to study the growth, retreat, and total energy balance of the polar cap deposits; (v) to measure the thermophysical properties of the martian surface materials; and (vi) to characterize the thermal structure and dynamics of the atmosphere. A complete description of the TES instrument is given in (Christensen et al., 1992). The TES instrument consists of three sub-sections, the primary one being a Michelson interferometer that produces spectra from 1700 to 200 cm-1 (~6 to 5 µ), at a spectral sampling of either ~5 or ~10 cm-1. The instrument cycle time, including collection of the interferogram, mirror flyback, and electronic reset, is 2 sec for 10 cm-